Calendar of Events 2012
Thailand / Cambodia / Myanmar
Vietnam / Laos

Thailand 2012

JANUARY

Jan. - Mar. Flower festival Chiang Mai

FEBRUARY

11-13 Underwater Wedding Festival Trang
14 Elephant Top Wedding Ceremony

MARCH

07 Makha Bucha Day (first sermon by Buddha to his disciples)

APRIL

TBA Pattaya Festival
06 Chakri Day (businesses could be closed on Apr. 7th)
13-15 Songkran Festival (Thai New Year)

MAY

TBA Bun Bang Fai (Rocket Festival Yasothon)

JUNE

01 National Labor Day
04 Visakha Bucha Day (holiest Buddhist holiday)

JULY

TBA Candle Festival Ubon Ratchathani

Full moon Khao Pansa (Buddha's first sermon)

AUGUST

12 Queen's Birthday

SEPTEMBER

25 Phichit Boat Races

OCTOBER

14-23 Phuket Vegetarian Festival
23 Chulalongkorn Memorial Day (in honor of King Rama V)

NOVEMBER

TBA Chiang Mai Yipeng Festival
17 Surin elephant round-up
28 Loy Krathong Festival (full moon of 12th lunar month)
Nov.-Dec. River Kwai Bridge week

DECEMBER

TBA Ayutthaya Festival
05 King's Birthday
10-12 Constitution Day

Cambodia 2012

JANUARY

07 Liberation Day (Victory Day over Genocide)

FEBRUARY

07 Makha Bochea Day (Chinese New Year)

MARCH

08 International Women's Day

APRIL

13-15 Khmer New Year

MAY

01 International Labor Day
05 Visakha Bochea (holiest Buddhist holiday)
09 Royal Plowing Day Ceremony (Bonn Chrott Preah Nongkoal)
13-15 King Norodom Sihamoni's Birthday

JUNE

01 International and Cambodian Children's Day
18 King's Mother's (Norodom Monineath Sihanouk) Birthday

SEPTEMBER

24 Constitution Day

OCTOBER

14-16 Pchum Ben (honoring ancestors)
29 King Norodom Sihamoni's Coronation Day
31 King's Father's (Norodom Sihanouk) Birthday

NOVEMBER

09 Independence Day
27-29 Water Festival

DECEMBER

10 International Human Right's Day

Myanmar 2012

JANUARY

01-08 Ananda Temple Festival at Bagan
13-15 Naga New Year at Lahe, Sagaing
24-31 Kyaik Khauk Festival at Thanlyin, Yangon

FEBRUARY

01-17 Kyaik Khauk Festival at Thanlyin, Yangon continues
01-07 Hlarmane (rice-giving)

MARCH

02-07 Pindaya Cave Festival at Pindaya
02-07 Shwedagon Pagoda Festival in Yangon
02-07 Kat Ku Pagoda Festival (Pa-O National Day celebrations)

APRIL

06 Shwemawdaw Pagoda Festival at Bago
13-16 Thingyan Water Festival
13-17 Mt. Popa Nat Festival at Mt. Popa near Bagan
17 First Day Buddhist New Year

MAY

05 Full Moon Kason (Buddha's birthday & Bodhi Tree pouring ceremony)
05 Thaung Yo Festival at Pindaya

JUNE
19-30 Maha Myat Muni Pagoda Festival at Mandalay

SEPTEMBER
16-30 Inle Lake Festival (also known as Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival)
29-30 Celebration of Lights
29-30 Elephant Dance Festival at Kyauk Se south of Mandalay (not real elephants)
29-30 Thaung Tho Monastery Celebration at Inle Lake

OCTOBER

01-02 Thaung Tho Monastery Celebration continues
01-03 Inle Lake Festival continues
05-08 Inndein Pagoda Festival at Inle Lake
28 Astrologers Annual Gathering at Shwebonepwint Pagoda in Yangon
22-29 Shwezigon Pagoda Festival at Bagan
28-29 Robe Weaving competition at Maha Muni Pagoda in Mandalay
28-29 Robe Weaving competition at Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon
28-29 Kyaiktiyo Pagoda Festival at The Golden Rock
28-30 Fire Balloon competition at Taunggyi
28-30 Kak Ku Pagoda Lanterns & Lights Festival at Kak Ku

NOVEMBER

02-06 Thaung Tho Pagoda Festival at Inle Lake
27-28 Mt. Popa Nat Festival at Mt. Popa near Bagan

Vietnam 2012

JANUARY

22-26 Vietnam Lunar New Year (Tet)

MARCH

12 Hungs Kings commemmoration

APRIL

30 Saigon Liberation Day / Reunification Day

MAY

01 Labour Day

SEPTEMBER

02 National Day

Laos 2012

FEBRUARY

04-08 Wat Phou Festival Champasack province
18 Makhabucha Day
20-21 Elephant Festival & Trade Fairs Sayabouly province

MARCH

08 International Women's Day

APRIL

14-16 Songkran Festival / Boun Pi Mai (Lao New Year)

MAY

01 Labour Day
17 Boun Bang Fai (Rocket Festival)

JUNE

01 International Children's Day

JULY

13 President Souphanouvong's birthday
15 Khao Pansa / Boun Asalahaboucha (Buddhist Lent begins)

AUGUST

28 Boun Khao Padabdin (rice) & boat racing Luang Prabang

SEPTEMBER

12 Boun Horkhaosalak Festival (10th full moon of the lunar calendar)

OCTOBER

07 Lao National Teacher's Day
12-13 Boun Ok Phansa (end of Buddhist Lent)
12-13 Boat racing Vientiane
13 Naga Rocket
13 Boun Khathin begins (lasts one month)

NOVEMBER

10 Boun That Luang Festival & Trade Fair Vientiane

DECEMBER

02 National Independence Day

Every effort has been made to provide accurate information on holidays and festivals. However, because various sources sometimes provide conflicting information, it is impossible to guarantee that all listings are correct. In addition, there are many small, local festivals and events that are too numerous to list. This is particularly true in Thailand.